Athletics Australia – News – Gayen leads local charge

Margaret Gayen (SA) headlines the local charge at the Adelaide Track Classic this Saturday night, with the Commonwealth Games hopeful keen to burst out of the blocks in the women's 100m and 200m.

Competing in the short sprints at the SA Athletics Stadium as part of her preparation to push for selection in the women's long jump for Glasgow 2014, the 19-year-old Gayen will this weekend face the toughest of rivals in Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson (Qld).

"I'm keen to get out there and have a crack at the sprints this weekend. So far this season the long jump has been going really well, and I hope this translates to my track performances too," Gayen said.

"I don't normally run the 200m at national level so I am looking forward to seeing how I shape up in the longer race. And I'm excited to race against Sally again. I haven't had too many chances to run against her and I know that she is someone that will push me to my best, and someone I can learn so much from as a younger athlete."

Gayen has this season already soared 6.62m to achieve her first Commonwealth Games ‘B' Standard. With plans to compete as part of the Australian Athletics Tour in the coming weeks, the 19-year-old is keen to work on her speed on the track as preparation for future long jumping events.

"The long jump is definitely my preferred event though. I'll be jumping in Sydney and Perth, and of course at Nationals. My biggest jump this year is just three centimetres off the A Qualifier and I am hoping to jump that before or at the Australian Championships to really make a play for selection. It's quite a competitive event this year with a few girls around the mark, so cementing my spot isn't going to be easy."

Australian Flame Nicholas Hough (NSW), Alex Beck (Qld), Craig Burns (Qld), Kelly Hetherington (Vic), Alex Rowe (Vic) and Josh Ralph (NSW) join Gayen on track.

Hough starts in the men's 200m after running a Commonwealth Games ‘B' Standard in the 110m hurdles at the ACT Athletics Championships last weekend, while Beck and Burns, who made the 4x400m relay final at last year's IAAF World Championships, will battle it out with a returning Sean Wroe (Vic) in the men's 400m.

On the hunt for Glasgow 2014 qualifiers, two-lap specialists Hetherington and Rowe will tackle the 800m for the first time this season, with Ralph, who ran a Commonwealth Games 800m ‘B' Standard at the Zatopek:10, to also race.

Launching in the women's pole vault after soaring 4.61m, a Commonwealth Games ‘A' Standard, at a Rare Air Club event in Melbourne on Wednesday night, is Alana Boyd (Qld), with the national record holder to be joined in the field by Linda Leverton (Qld) in the triple jump and IPC Athletics World Championships medallists Guy Henly (NSW, discus) and Katherine Proudfoot (ACT, shot put).

In the women's javelin, IAAF World Championships silver medallist Kim Mickle (WA), London 2012 finalist Kathryn Mitchell (Vic) and Commonwealth Games ‘A' Qualified Kelsey–Lee Roberts (ACT) will compete.

"It's not a surprise that the women's javelin is strong at the moment, I knew that Kelsey was capable of the ‘A' Standard, but it is exciting that's for sure," Mitchell said.

"Adelaide is going to my first competition for the year, and I will throw in the middle of a pretty heavy training load. I want to get the year off to a great start, but it's hard to know how much of an effect my training will have on my ability to throw big.

"I am coming into this year strong, and after missing a bit of work last year following my surgery, I think that will mean big things for me. I hope to hit a PB, continue to perform well on the Diamond League as I did in 2013 and hopefully finish atop that podium in Glasgow."

The Adelaide Track Classic is the last National Athletics Series event before the Australian Athletics Tour thrills fans of track and field in Perth (22 February), Sydney (15 March) and Melbourne (22 March) in the coming weeks.

The South Australian capital has played host to a National Athletics Series event for the past three years, with the National Athletics Series returning to the city for the first time in seven years in 2012.

For more information on the National Athletics Series, incorporating the Australian Athletics Tour, please click here.

Please click here to view the current timetable and entry lists for the Adelaide Track Classic.

Tickets to the event start at $5 and can be purchased through Ticketek or at the gate from 4:00pm CDST.

 

Athletics Australia – News